singlehanding

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by orthomartin

watching for a meteor or lightning has nothing in common as you can not change the outcome. I was well out into the open Atlantic and had not seen another boat for over 40 hours. Perhaps the day when you are nearly sunk by someone "living their dream" at your risk will give another perspective. Not an easy answer here as I love sailing alone, simply introducing to all the fact that the solo-sailor does take some liberties with your life

You may feel this way because of one solo sailor, but I and a lot of others take extra precautions, like radar with a 110 dcb alarm with proximity settings. I have sailed as skipper with 1 or 2 crew on deliveries, due to my normal modus operandi I wake on the hour and I have on more than one occasion found the person on watch fast asleep. I believe this is more dangerous than a properly prepared solo sailor.

[orthomartin]

Just to be clear, I am not opposed to the solo-sailor, I only bring up the point that there is some issue for other boats. To be fair my wife and I sail with just the two of us and on longer passages of over 500nm I often find myself in the cockpit taking those little 20min "naps" around 3am relying on the radar alarms to some degree.
So...last words are if you sail alone please take as many precautions as feasible and respect that your fellow cruisers are out there. I would also go as far as to say if solo is your only option by all means go. Like few places in life we are a "family" out there!